Heel-trimming pattern and holding device therefor



(No Model.)

0. P. B-ABO'OO'K. PATTERN AND HOLDING DEVICE THEREFOR.

HEEL TRIMMING No. 569,484.

Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

CURTIS F. BABCOCK, OF AUBURN, MAINE.

HEEL-TRIMMING PATTERN AND HOLDING DEVICE THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,484, dated October 13, 1896.

Application filed February 24, 1896. Serial No. 580,385. (No model.)

To all? whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CURTIS F. BABCOCK, of Auburn, county of Androscoggin, State of Maine, have invented an Improvement in Heel-Trimming Patterns and Holding Devices Therefor, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

In the trimming of boot and shoe heels it was formerly the custom to mount the boot or shoe having the heel to be trimmed upon a sort of jack forming a part of a machine, which machine was provided with a suitable cutter and with a pattern or other device whereby the heel might be trimmed.

The later practice has been to accurately cut by means of dies the top lift of the heel and use the top lift so cut as a pattern by which the operator guiding the heel and cutter by his eye trimmed the body of the heel.

lVhile the latter process is much more expeditious than the former, because the operator is free to present the heel to the cutter in any desired manner, and because the heel can be more rapidly trimmed than when mounted in a machine having certain predetermined and fixed movements, yet in practice I have found that the operators eye or skill cannot always be depended upon to produce perfect work, and, furthermore, the top lift can serve in a measure only as a pattern, since it, too, must be acted upon by the cutter in order to properly trim the heel.

My present invention has for its object to provide a pattern to guide the trimming device in its movements about and to trim the heel, in combination with a portable holding device to hold said pattern in position upon the heel without interfering with the usual manipulation of the shoe for presenting the heel to the trimmer to be trimmed in usual manner. In other words, my invention,while providing, it may be, a metallic pattern for an absolute guide for the trimming and to insure uniformity in shape, nevertheless enables the shoe-heel to be presented to the trimmer and acted upon thereby in the usual manner.

The above, together with other features of my invention, will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1, in side elevation, shows one embodiment of my invention as it will appear when in use, a part of the shoe being broken away in section Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the device, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section on the dotted line 0c :r, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a view illustrating a modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawings illustrating one embodiment of my invention, A indicates a boot or shoe of any usual or desired construction, it being provided with a heel a, in the present instance shown as a spring-heel, but which may be any kind of a heel applied to the bottom of the shoe and which it is desired to trim.

In accordance with my invention I have provided a suitably-shaped pattern 1), shown as and preferably a metallic plate faced at its under side, where it contacts with the top lift a of the shoe-heel, with leather or other suit- .able, preferably soft, facing material I).

To better hold the pattern in position upon the bottom of the heel, I have herein provided said pattern with a plurality of spurs 12 shown as formed upon the metallic portion 1) and protruding through the facing thereof into the top lift of the heel. To retain this pattern in proper position upon and to serve as a guide for the trimming of the heel, my invention comprehends a portable holder of such construction as not to interfere with the free handling of the shoe by the operator, said holder, in the present embodiment of my invention, comprising the two principal members C and D, adapted to embrace between them the heel of the shoe, one at the inside the latter and the otherat the outside thereof.

As herein shown, the member 0 is provided at its upper side with a seat 0, shown as pivotally connected with the member 0 at c and sustained in position by suitable springs 0 which enable the said seat to freely adapt itself to any particular an gularity of the inner sole of the shoe.

The member C is shaped to extend from the seat 0 within the shoe outwardly through the usual lacing or button opening thereof, or, if desired, it may be arranged to extend out through the top of the shoe, and at its outer erating member D.

As herein shown, the member Dis composed of a single resilient strip secured at one end by a pivot-screw (Z to the outer end of the member 0 and at its opposite end adapted to press upon the outer side of the pattern b to hold the latter against the bottom of the heel.

The member 0 is herein shown as composed of two parts 1 and 2, adjust-ably connected intermediate the ends of the member by the screws 3 in one part passing through slots 4 (shown in dotted lines only) in the other part of said member to enable the member to be adjusted as to its length for different sizes or types of boot or shoe.

In applying my invention to a boot or shoe preparatory to the trimming of a heel thereof the pattern b is first positioned upon the heel. The member D of the holder is then swung to one side, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the member 0 inserted within the shoe with its seat cin position, as shown in Fig. 1, after which the member D is swung on its pivot cl into position upon and to hold the pattern, the seat 0 being also shown as provided with spurs a to assist in holding the device in position. IVith the pattern thus clamped in position upon the heel the boot or shoe is held in the hands of the operator as though the pattern and holder therefor were not applied and is presented to the usual heel-trimmer for the trimming of the heel in the manner most convenient for the operator, the pattern, however, compelling the trimming of the heel in conformity to the contour thereof.

In the present instance of my invention I have shown the pattern-surface as raised somewhat by a portion I? from the top lift of the heel in order that the cutter may trim the said top lift as well as the other lifts of the heel, and by so doing said pattern may be made larger than the actual bottom of the desired heel and cooperate with some convenient part of the cutter to guide the latter as it is passed about the heel.

In practice I prefer to provide the member 0 of the holder with a socket (shown at for the reception of a suitable holding-spindle to enable the holder to be more conveniently applied to and removed from the shoe.

Vhile for convenience I prefer to handle the boot or shoe without a last, after the manner described, yet myinvention is not limited in this respect, and in Fig. at I have shown a shoe containing a usual last Z, and with a pattern and a holder therefor embodying my invention applied to the shoe and last, the trimming operation, however, being precisely as with the device described in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment herein shown, for it is evi dent the same may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination witha pattern to be applied to and to determine the shape of the bottom of the heel of a shoe, of a portable pattern-holder constructed to engage the shoe and the said pattern to hold the latter in position upon the heel, said holder being supported by the shoe and freely movable in any direction by and with said shoe in the hands of the operator for presentation of said shoe and its heel in usual manner to a heel-trimming device, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to and to determine the shape of the bottom of the heel of a shoe, of a portable pattern-holder having connected members to engage the shoe and pattern to hold thelatterin position upon the heel, one of said members acting from without and the other from the interior of the shoe, said holder being supported by the shoe and freely movable in any direction by and with said shoe in the hands of the operator for presentation of said shoe and its heel in usual manner to a heeltrimming device, substantially as described.

The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the bottom of a heel, of a holder therefor comprising two members adapted to embrace the said heel, one from within and the other from without the shoe, the latter of said members being resilient, substantially as described. I

i. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the bottom of the heel, of a portable holder comprising two members adapted to embrace between them the said heel, one from within and the other from without said shoe, a movable heel-seat pivotally connected with the member within the shoe,

and a spring or springs to sustain the said seat in position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the bottom of a heel of a shoe, of a portable holder for and to embrace said heel from within and without said shoe, and means for lengthening and shortening said holder to adapt the latter for boots and shoes of different sizes, substantially as described. 6. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the'bottom of a heel of a shoe, of a portable holder therefor comprising rigid and resilient members embracing said heel from within and Without said shoe, said resilient member being hinged to said rigid member and having a swinging movement about its said hinge to enable said holder to be applied to and removed from the shoe, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the bottom of a heel of a shoe and made larger than said heel with a supporting portion at its under side to rest upon said heel and of a size smaller than the latter, of a portable pattern-holder constructed to engage the shoe and the said pattern to hold the latter in position upon the heel, and,with the shoe, freely movable in any direction in the hands of the operator for presentation of the shoe and the heel in usual manner to a heel-trimming device, said pattern-support in g portion, smaller than the heel, permitting presentation of the heel-trimming device to the edge of the top lift of said heel, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a pattern adapted to be applied to the bottom of a heel of a shoe, having a supporting portion at its under side to rest against said heel and of a size smaller than the latter, of a portable pattern-holder constructed to engage the shoe and the said pattern to hold the latter in position upon the heel, and, with the shoe, freely movable in any direction in the hands of the operator for presentation of the shoe and the heel in usual manner to a heel-trimming device, said pat- I 5 tern supporting portion, smaller than the heel, permitting presentation of the heeltrimming device to the edge of the top lift of said heel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 20 

